One Foot In The Grave star says he is worried Jeremy Corbyn's message is 'not getting through'

25 May, 2017

EMMA Thompson and Richard Wilson said this week they would be backing Labour’s Tulip Siddiq in her fight for survival, while Tom Conti confirmed he is supporting Tory challenger Claire-Louise Leyland, as some of Hampstead’s famous faces nailed their political colours to the mast.

While promoting her new film at the Cannes film festival, Oscar winner Ms Thompson said Ms Siddiq had been an “outstanding MP” since being elected two years ago. The actress, famous for Nanny McPhee and Love Actually, has lived in West Hampstead for many years.

Mr Wilson posed with a placard saying he was proud to be a “Hampstead socialist” before the last election and yesterday told the New Journal that he was backing Ms Siddiq again – even though he doubted Jeremy Corbyn was succeeding in reaching voters. “Tulip seems like a genuine person in every way and I want to see her get back in,” he said. “The manifesto seems like something worth fighting for. If all the young people voted then Labour would walk it.”

The One Foot In The Grave star said he had voted for Mr Corbyn in the Labour leadership contest but that he was worried that “his message is not getting through the way it needs to”.

Meanwhile, Mr Conti, the Shirley Valentine star, is understood to have met with Ms Leyland before agreeing to his name being included on a list of endorsements being distributed by the Conservatives today (Thursday) on a fresh campaign leaflet. He simply says on the handout: “I’m voting for Claire-Louise to be my MP because she cares for people.” The rest of the leaflet includes figures known locally, rather than for the red carpet.

Lawyer Jessica Learmond-Criqui, the well-known Hampstead campaigner, appears on it with the quote: “Working with her on local issues, like the disastrous bin changes, means that I know she’d be a tremendous voice for Hampstead and Kilburn in parliament.”